At the start of the summer term Year 1 children were asked what they wanted to do linked to their new and exciting challenge of ‘Buckets and Spades’. Teachers had already planned the trip to Weston-super-Mare and had also planned for some stimulating writing opportunities. Staff asked the children for their help with ideas for their challenge – What artwork could be displayed in the school’s gallery exhibition? Then the suggestions poured in… “Can we decorate caps?’ ‘Can we make seagulls?’ “What about puppets?” The teachers in Year 1 went away with an abundance of ideas. The caps were designed and taken to the next level by using them as a social enterprise experience. The seagulls needed to be designed so that they could fly, enough wooden spoons needed to be obtained so that puppets could be made. The children’s ideas were coming in thick and fast so the teachers needed to make things happen.
The amount of items to exhibit at the gallery was growing by the day, the classrooms were turning into galleries in their own right then, staff had an idea – could Year 1 build upon Year 3’s fantastic idea of setting up an exhibition in the Community Hub in Victoria Park? Would it already be booked? Would it be available? Would anyone come?
There was no need to worry – it wasn’t already booked and people did attend! After two hectic days of setting up the gallery it was ready and the visitors came in thick and fast! On Wednesday 25th June parents from 1S (Mr Smith’s class) accompanied their children to the gallery. The playground was awash with parents eagerly waiting to walk to the Hub. Upon arrival, the shutters were removed and everyone was in awe at the children’s work. Parents spent their time looking at their children’s work and engaging with the children talking about all the fabulous items that they had produced.
The following day, 1H (Mrs Herbert’s class) parents, again congregated on the playground. Again when the shutters went up parents were in awe of what they saw. After looking around at the items that were on display and talking to staff and children it was time for refreshments and the buying of souvenirs – at this point the children’s designer caps were ‘flying off the shelves’!
Year 1’s Buckets and Spades Seaside gallery was a GREAT success – Thank you to all those who had a hand in making it the spectacle that it was. A special ‘thank you’ goes to our parents for your continued support and financial donations.
